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Monthly Archives: April 2016

Com. N.O.Anandan, veteran P&T Trade Union leader of Kerala, passed away on 29th April 2016 at his residence in Kannur. He was 90.

Com. Anandan Master, as he was respectfully called, was a pillar of strength for the P&T movement. He led the 1960 CGE Strike, 1968 strike and many struggles along with late Com. Janu Master in Kannur, where he was working as Post Master. His elder brother late Com. Narayanan Master was also a strong unionist.

I had close connection with Com. Anandan Master, during the period I worked in Kannur during 1959-64 and later. During earlier two tours to Kannur I could meet him at his home and discuss about past history of the movement and the present struggles. However, I was not able to meet him last time when I visited Kannur on 24-03-2016 in connection with verification campaign, due to paucity of time. His daughter Com. Latha is working in BSNL at Kannur and is an active worker of BSNLEU.

His body has been donated to Pariyaram Medical College as per his wish.

My Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, Comrades and friends!

Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA met Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD BSNL on 29th April 2016 and pressed for early restoration of the medical allowance to the pensioners, which was withdrawn earlier on the plea of lack of funds. The hardships being faced by the retired officials were brought to the notice of the CMD BSNL in detail. Com. Namboodiri stated that even the National Council, the priority of restoring it to pensioners has been demanded.

The government has been compelled to restore the EPF proposed interest rate, before the strong protest of the trade unions.

Though EPFO has recommended 8.8 % interest for its subscribers for 2015-16, the Finance ministry decided to reduce it arbitrarily to 8.7%, with out any justification. Strong protest action was organised by the trade unions on 29th April. There were severe criticism in Parliament also.

Now, the government has been compelled to retract its decision. Yesterday the government announced in the Parliament that 8.8% interest will be paid and there will be no reduction from the proposal of the EPFO.

Immediate reaction had its results. Government should not be allowed to take away the had earnings of the workers.

At present, the employees in Central government are mainly divided in to two categories viz. Gazetted and Non-Gazetted. In the same way, the employees in Central Public Sector Units are divided in to‘Executive’ and ‘Non-Executive’.

The nomenclature ‘Non-Gazetted’ and ‘Non-Executive’ is a negative term, which means one is ‘not Gazetted’ and ‘not Executive’. Such nomenclatures are part of legacy of the British colonialism. It may be remembered that the British called the Indians as ‘Natives’ to denigrate them.

There is a need to change these nomenclatures which demean the employee, who should have a positive name, instead of a negative one. Will it be acceptable to anybody if such negative nomenclatures are extended to other sections, like the IAS officers being called as ‘Non-Secretaries’, Members of Director Board as ‘Non- CEO’, ‘Non-CMD’ etc. Whether anybody will like it, if Cabinet Ministers in the Central government are called as ‘Non-Prime Minister’?

It is time to change these names which are legacy of the British colonialism and find suitable nomenclature. This needs serious consideration.

Thanking You Sir,
Yours Faithfully,

(Sd)

V.A.N.Namboodiri,
T-18 C, Atul Grove road,
New Delhi – 110001

Acknowledgement Received from PMO

Dear Sir/Madam,

Your Grievance has been registered vide Registration number PMOPG/E/2016/0141348 .Please quote the same in your future correspondance.

April 30th 2016 is the 41st anniversary of the defeat of the US invasion of Vietnam and the unification of the South and North Vietnam. This was the first step in the formation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam( SRV).

It is difficult to find another country, which had to fight for decades to defend its freedom. It was a French Colony earlier, and got its freedom through fierce armed struggle in 1945 under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. But Japan and US invaded the country. The resistance and guerrilla warfare against US attack and invasion was long and painful.

According to reports, more than 2 million Vietnam civilians, 1.1. million Vietnam soldiers, 20,000 North Vietnam soldiers and 58,000 U.S.soldiers were killed. Tens of thousands were wounded and disabled for their lives. The entire country was ruined. The US used chemical poison like Agent Orange which killed thousands. Many thousands still suffer. The cruelty of the US attack shocked the world.

But at last the mighty US had to accept defeat at the hands of the little Vietnam and backtrack to their own country. The entire world, including many in US itself, criticized the US for its inhuman attack and destruction of the country.

The leaders of Vietnam, Ho-Chi-Minh and his army commander Vo Nguyen Giap, became legends in their own time.

Warm and Fraternal Greetings to the brave people of Vietnam on the occasion of the anniversary of the defeat of US invasion and formation of Socialist Republic of Vietnam,

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The new financial year has started. So also the spree of selling the PSU shares! The latest is the proposed disinvestment of 5% shares of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF), 10% of National Fertilisers Limited (NFL), 10% in NMDC, 10% in HUDCO and 10% in Oil India. The government has already sold 11.36% shares NHPC a few days back.

If this trend goes, within a few years, the control of all PSUs will be in the hands of the private corporates. Mighty united struggles by the working class are required to save the PSUs. The Central Trade Unions in their strike decision for 2nd September 2016 have included ‘No Disinvestment of PSUs’ as one of the main demands.

The government should be compelled retract from these anti-PSU decisions.

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Good news for Central PSU, Air India! It’s losses for 2015-16 is reduced to more than half of the losses in 2014-15, Rs. 5,859.91 crore. The loss in 2015-16 is only Rs. 2,636 crore. It is a welcome news! Congratulations to the workers and unions!

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The Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament has criticised the method in the contract of Public Private Participation (PPP) both in the GVK controlled Mumbai Airport and also in the case of DIAL controlled Delhi Airport.

The cost of the Mumbai Project was estimated first at Rs. 5,826 crore initially, but the cost rose to more than 100% to Rs.12,380 crore. The PAC also stated that this is similar to the PPP implemented in the DIAL controlled Delhi Airport.

What the trade unions and Left Parties have been telling is proved true. The PPP is nothing short of privatisation to ensure that the private companies reap huge profit out of the government properties and assets.

The case of the VVIP Chopper purchase from Augusta Westland by the Government of India has once again come to the focus after the Italian Court has jailed the officers of the company for bribing Indian officials and politicians.

Who are these persons who received benefit out of these deals? It is doubtful whether any disclosure will be made since the people behind are powerful people of politics, bureaucracy and intermediaries.